Cooling system for engines



Nov. 15, 1938. D. B. BAKER ET AL 2,136,605

COOLING SYSTEM FOR ENGINES Filed March 5, 1957 2 Shets-Sheet 1 NOV. 15, 1938. D BAKER ET AL COOLING SYSTEM FOR ENGINES 2 Sheets-Shem 2 Filed March 5, 1937 lmerb bm ill! Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFncs COOLING SYSTEM FOR. ENGINES Application March 5, 1937, Serial No. 129,188

15 Claims.

This invention relates to cooling systems for internal combustion engines. More specifically it relates to a cooling system which functions by evaporating water into steam on the cylinder head and utilizing the radiator as a condenser for the steam.

In the cooling of internal combustion engines, water circulating systems are usually employed. The rate of circulation is such that under normal conditions of operation the rise in temperature of the water is sufficient to carry away the heat without the formation of any appreciable amount of steam. However, when outside temperatures are high and when the engine is being operated at top load, there is usually some formation of steam which may form pockets acting to insulate the hot parts, or otherwise interfere with thewater circulating systems. As engines may be operated at about the boiling point of water satisfactorily. a number of socalled steam cooling systems have been developed. These have not come into wide commercial use due to certain difllculties encountered in their operation.

The principal object of the present invention is to devise an improved cooling system for internal combustion engines which utilizes a water circulating system in combination with water evaporation and condensation for removing the heat from'the engine,

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved water circulating construction in' which water is maintained at all times at the proper level in the cylinder head of the engine.

Another object is to provide an improved arrangement of a condensing radiator in which steam and water are both delivered in such a manner that the water is entrained with the steam whereby a maximum condensation is obtained before the steam enters the condensing portion of the radiator.

The above deflned objects and others, which will be apparent from the detailed description to follow, are accomplished by providing a radiator with upper and lower headers and water circuiating circuits. A positive pump of a relatively small capacity is utilized to deliver water from the lower header of the radiator to the engine block. In order to maintain a constant level in the block, an overflow pipe is connected to the discharge side of the pump extending about the normal liquid level in the head and downwardly to said level. By this construction, a predetermined liquid level can be maintained at all times in the cylinder head. Steam from the top of the cylinder head is delivered into a down draft tube through which the excess water is circulated. The water andthe condensation are collected in the lower header of the radiator. The steam rises upwardly through the core of the radiator which acts as a condenser.

By means of this construction, which will be described in detail, an improved cooling system is obtained which has the desirable properties of both a water cooling system and a steam cooling 10 system.

In the drawings- Figure 1 shows the front end of an engine power plant with the cooling system partially broken away by a vertical longitudinal section;

Figure 2 15a horizontal section through the top radiator header shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an elevation from the rear of the top portion of the radiator and the conduits connected thereto.

In the drawings, a portion of an engine block and crank case in of an engine are shown in order to show the relative disposition with respect thereto of the structure comprising the engine. A cylinder head II is shown mounted as on the block ill. The front end portion of the cylinder head is broken away by a vertical longitudinal section to show a water inlet opening I2 from the block and a steam outlet opening [3 at the top of the head. The top of a combustion chamber II is shown in elevation by the broken away portion of the cylinder head. The front upper corner of the block is also broken away in section to show an outlet l5 by which water passes upwardly from the jacket of the block to the cylinder head.

A modified radiator core ii of a conventional construction having a series of flat vertical tubes l1 and header plates 18 is shown as being supported by vertical end members is, an upper header 20, and a lower header 2|. The plates l8 are clamped in position by the flanges on the headers and flanges on the end members i9. Bars 22 extend along the front and rear of the radiator core to complete the clamping arrangement. The lower header is provided with an inlet 23 which communicates with a conduit 24 leading to a fitting 25 formed on a pipe casing member 26. The pump illustrated is formed of the pump casing member 26 and an annular casing member 21. Said members cooperate to provide a compartment 28 in which a rotary impeller 29 is mounted for rotation with the shaft 30. Said shaft is journaled in the member 21, ex-

tending forwardly therethrough. A belt pulley 3| is mounted on the shaft 30 to provide means for driving the pump. A driving belt 32 extends around the pulley 3| and also around a drive pulley 33 on the crank shaft of the engine and around a fan pulley l4 rotatably mounted on an extension boss 35. Said fan pulley is mounted as a unit with a fan 36.

The pump casing member 28 is provided, with an outlet fitting 31 which is connected with a conduit 38. Said conduit communicates with the water jacket of the block by means of a branch conduit 39. The conduit 38 is also connected with a bubble-over by-pass conduit 40, which will be further described in connection with the upper header construction.

The upper header 20 of the radiator communicates, by means of an opening 4| coextensive with the radiator core It, with the upper ends of the tubes II, as in conventional radiator construction. A flller cap 42 provides means for adding water to the cooling system. Near the center of the upper header a separate compartment 43 is formed in the header casting. It is to be understood that, ii the header were of sheet metal construction, the compartment 43 could be formed in a different manner.

The compartment 41, which receives steam from a conduit 44 connected to the cylinder head for communication with the opening it, also communicates with a vertical tube 45, which is fltted into an opening formed in the lower wall of the header communicating with the compartment 4!. Said tube extends downwardly through the header plate It at the top of the radiator core and through the header plate III at the bottom of the radiator core. By means of this construction, steam formed above the cylinder head passes upwardly into the compartment 43 and downwardly through the tube 45 into the lower header 2| of the radiator. From this header, the steam passes upwardly through the tubes l1, being condensed therein. The condensate runs downwardly back into the lower header 2|.

A conduit 40, which has been previously referred to, extends upwardly and into the upper header through the rear wall thereof, as shown in Figure 2. The conduit is then connected to a bore 46 cored into the upper header. A vertically extending bore 41 communicates with the bore 46. A conduit 48, fitted into the bore 41, extends downwardly into the tube 45 centrally thereof. By this construction, it will be understood that water from the pump discharged through the conduit 40 will be delivered into the tube 45 along with the steam passing therethrough. The lower end of the conduit 48 terminates at the level at which water is to be maintained in the system above the head ll.

The operation of the cooling system, as above described, has been explained somewhat inconnection with the description. The pump impeller 2! draws water from the lower header 2i of the radiator and forces it upwardly into the conduit 34. Water passes into the block III, raising the liquid level therein to the line ll indicating the water level, which is preferably somewhat above the top of the combustion chamber. With water maintained at this level, the temperature of the combustion chamber wall can never exceed the boiling point of water, except for a few degrees. As the pump is of a capacity somewhat larger than the maximum amount of water which will be evaporated by any condition of engine operation, the level will tend to rise in the cylinder head and in the bubble-over by-pass pipe 4|.

intimate mixing insures maintenance of the water 4 at a high temperature, which is desirable for said engine operation, and also a maximum rapidity of condensation.

It is to be understood that applicants have shown and described only a preferred embodiment of their improved cooling system for internal combustion engines and that they claim as their invention all modifications railing within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

'1. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination with an engine having a water jacket, a radiator having a bottom header, a water circulating pump, an inlet conduit connecting the bottom header and the pump, a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the water jacket, a steam and vapor conduit connecting said bottom header with the upper part of the water jacket and extending thereabove, and an overflow water conduit connected between the discharge side of the pump and the jacket, said conduit extending above the top of the jacket and terminating in the steam and vapor conduit to form a siphon, the end of said overflow conduit determining the water level in the jacket side of the system.

2. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination with an engine having a water jacket, a radiator having a bottom header, a water circulating pump, an inlet conduit connecting the bottom header and the pump, a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the water jacket, a steam and vapor conduit connecting said bottom header with the upper part of the water jacket, and an overflow water conduit connected between the discharge side of the pump and the jacket and extending above the normal water level in the cylinder head jacket and downwardly terminating in the steam and vapor conduit.

3. In a cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination with an engine having a water jacket surrouding the cylinder and combustion chamber, a radiator having a bottom header, a pump, an inlet connecting the bottom header and the pump, a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the water jacket, a steam and vapor conduit connecting said bottom header with the water jacket, the uppermost position of said conduit extending above the uppermost portion of the jacket, and an overflow water conduit connected at the discharge side of the pump and extending above the normal water level in the cylinder-head jacket and downwardly terminating into the steam and water conduit, the end of said overflow conduit determining the water level in the jacket side of the system.

4. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination with an engine having a water jacket surrounding the cylinder and combustion chamber, a radiator having a bottom header, a pump, an inlet conduit connectchamber with the bottom radiator header, and

ing the bottom header and the'pump, a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the water jacket, a steam and vapor conduit connecting said bottom. header with the water jacket, the

determining a water level in the system above the jacket. v

5. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with an engine having a water jacket, a radiator'having a bottom header and a top header higher than the top of the jacket, a pump, an inlet conduit connecting the bottom header and the pump, a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the water jacket, a chamber formed in the upper header, a steam and vapor conduit connecting said chamber with the upper part of the water jacket, a down-flow conduit connecting said chamber with the bottom radiator header, and a by-pass conduit connected at the discharge side of the pump and terminating in the downfiow conduit, the end of said conduit determining the water level in the jacket side of the system.

6. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with an engine having a water jacket, a radiator having a bottom header and a top header higher than the top of the jacket, a pump, an inlet conduit connecting the bottom header and the pump, a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the water jacket, a chamber formed in the upper header, a steam and vapor conduit connecting said chamber with the upper part of the water jacket, a down-flow conduit connecting .said

a by-pass conduit connected at the discharge side of the pump and extending above the normal water level in the cylinder-head jacket and downwardly terminating in the down-flow conduit, the end of said conduit determining the water level in the jacket side of the system.

'7. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine having a water jacket, a radiator having a bottom header and a top header positioned above the top of the water jacket, a circulating pump, an inlet conduit connecting the bottom header and the pump, a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the water jacket, a chamber formed in the upper header, a steam and vapor conduit communicating with the uppermost part of the water jacket and extending upwardly to said chamber, a conduit connecting,

said chamber with the bottom radiator header, and a by-pass conduit connected to the discharge conduit from the pump and extending above the cylinder-head jacket and downwardly terminating inthe conduit connecting the chamber and the bottom radiator header, said bypass conduit being adapted to function as a syphon whereby the terminating end determines the water level of the'jacket side of the system.

8. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine having a cylinder water jacket and a head provided with a water jacket, and in combinationtherewith, a radiator having a bottom header, a top header and connecting tubes,

a conduit connecting the bottom header and the cylinder jacket, a pump positioned in said conduit for forcing water theretnrough, a chamber formed in the upper header, a conduit connecting said chamber with the cylinder-head jacket, a conduit connecting said chamber with the lower radiator header, and a conduit connected at the discharge side of the pump and terminating in the conduit connecting the chamber and the bottom radiator header, the end of said conduit determining the water level in the jacket side of the system.

v 9. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine having a cylinder water jacket and a head'provided with a water jacket,and in combination therewith, a radiator having a bottom header, a top header and connecting tubes, a conduit connecting the bottom header and the cylinder jacket, a pump positioned in said conduit for forcing water therethrough, a chamber formed in the upper header, a conduit connecting said chamber withthe cylinder-head jacket, a conduit connecting said chamber with the lower radiator header, and a conduit connected at the discharge side of the pump and extend-'- ing above the normal water level in the cylinderhead jacket and downwardly into the conduit connecting the chamber and the bottom radiator header, the end of said conduit determiningthe inder-jacket, a pump positioned in said conduit for forcing water therethrough, a chamber formed in the upper header, a steam and vapor conduit connecting said chamber with the jacket, a cylindrical conduit connecting said chamber with the lower radiator header, and a by-passoverflow conduit connected atthe discharge side of the pump and extending above the normalwater level in the cylinder-head jacket and downwardly into the conduit connecting the chamber and the bottom radiator header terminating centrally at the cylindrical conduit, the end of said conduit determining the water level in the jacket side of the system.

11. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination with an engine having a water jacket, a vertically positioned radiator, a water circulating pump, an inlet conduit connecting said pump with the bottom of the radiator, a discharge leading from said pump to the water jacket, a steam and vapor conduit connected with the radiator and with the water jacket adjacent the upper por-- tion thereof, and a water overflow conduit connected between the discharge side of the pump betweenthe pump and the jacket, said conduit extending above the normal water level in the a water overflow conduit having one end connected between the discharge side of the pump between the pump and the jacket, saidconduit extending above the normal water level in the Jacket with its other end extending downwardly and terminating in the radiator.

13. A cooling system for an internal combustron engine comprising, in combination with an. engine having a water Jacket, a vertically positioned radiator in which liquid is to be maintained at a low level, a water circulating pump, an inlet conduit connecting the said pump with the bottom of the radiator, a discharge leading from said pump to the water jacket, a steam and vapor conduit connected with the radiator adjacent the bottom thereof and with the water Jacket adjacent the upper portion thereof, and a water overflow conduit connected between the discharge side oi the pump between the pump and the jacket, said conduit having a portion lying above the normal water level in the jacket and terminating in the radiator about the normal liquid level.

14. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with an engine having a water Jacket, a vertically positioned radiator, the upper end 01 which extends higher than the top 0! the water Jacket, a pump, an inlet conduit connecting the radiator adjacent the bottom thereof and the pump, av discharge conduit leading from the pump to the water jacket, a steam and vapor conduit connected with the upper portion of the water jacket and extending into the radiator, and a by-pass conduit connected at the discharge side or the pump, said conduit extending above the top of the jacket and terminating in the steam and vapor conduit whereby it is operable as a siphon, the end of said conduit determining the water level in the jacket side of the system.

15. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with an enline having a water Jacket, a vertically positioned radiator in which water is to be maintained at a low level, the upper end of said radiator extending higher than the top or the water jacket, a pump, an inlet conduit connecting the radiator adjacent the bottom thereof and the pump, a discharge conduit leading from the pump to the water Jacket, a steam andvapor conduit connected with the upper portion of the water Jacket and extending into the radiator, and a, by-pasa conduit connected at the discharge side of the pump and terminating in the radiator above the normal liquid level therein, said conduit having a portion extending above the top of the water jacket, whereby it functions as a siphon and whereby the end in the radiator determines the water level in the jacket side of the system.

DAVID B. BAKER. LLOYD F. OVERHOLT. 

